FEDERAL MINISTER ALERT TO INDIAN OCEAN REALITIES

"Russia's naval presence in the Indian Ocean was designed to undermine the stability of 'governments that have been friendly to the great democracies', the Defence Minister, Mr. Fraser, said yesterday". The Age, Melbourne, 27th February.

Speaking with commendable lucidity at an address to the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia, Mr. Fraser put the matter in proper perspective. He said: "We see the increases of their (Russia's) strategic influence in an area where they have no specific national interests to protect. They have only the objective of spreading their influence around the world, by whatever means may be available....If we believe the Soviets respect the right of democracies to an independent and viable existence, we deceive ourselves".
And much more in a similar vein.

This is a massive change in outlook; realities are filtering through to Canberra, and we take much heart there from. Mr. Fraser is to be commended for his accurate assessment of Russia's naval probing into the Indian Ocean. Mr. Fraser has obviously the viability of Indonesia in mind, among other nations, with his reference to those governments, which have been friendly to the great democracies. Russia is also quite obviously looking ahead to the time when Vietnam falls; then the remainder of South East Asia, this to be given added impetus by the recognition of Red China by the U.S. A. and Australia.

There is little doubt in our minds that the Communist apparatus in Indonesia has not been destroyed, and that it would emerge strongly at the right moment, supported morally, and materially by the Soviet Fleet in the Indian Ocean. It has not escaped our attention that the Russian Fleet may, as a secondary measure, be an instrument for keeping some sort of control over the influence of the Red Chinese in East Africa; however the West could draw no comfort from this.

There is no conflict between Peking and Moscow concerning the annihilation of the West - only as to the speediest and most efficient methods of carrying this out!

MR. HAWKE BERATED BY FOREIGN MINISTER

"Trade Unionism in Australia had changed for the worse since Mr. Hawke took over as President of the A.C.T.U. the Foreign Minister (Mr. McMahon) said last night". The Age, Melbourne. 1st March

Mr. McMahon had much to say about Mr. Hawke on a Sydney "Meet the Press" telecast. The theme was that the genuine interests of the ordinary trade unionist have taken a very secondary place to the promotion of Big Labor with Mr. R Hawke as the Big Labor Boss. There has been a steadily growing uneasiness in the community that this new regime in Australian Trade Unionism is out for power; all it can grab.

Whatever one's conceptions concerning the retail trade and the undoubted degree of price-fixing that must go on, an un-Australian note is struck when industrial blackmail is threatened by the President of the A.C.T.U. and threatened quite blatantly even defiantly. Industrial organizations and retail organizations which don't 'co-operate' will find them selves with 'trouble' on their hands.

This is a further reflection of the breakdown in standards of morality, in the general sense, in the community. There is no FAIR PLAY about this. A nasty, somewhat evil note has now been injected into industrial relations. lf this bad new spirit isn't stopped the rot will spread further, and we shall witness in our own country some of the worst aspects of the excesses of power-drunk Labor Bosses, which the U.S.A. has experienced. Blackmail, beatings, murders - this is where industrial lawlessness, manipulated by Labor Bosses, will lead. The criminal element then battens on to the situation to do the dirty work, for their price, and the Communists sit back to mastermind the whole operation. This HAS HAPPENED overseas, and it CAN and WILL happen here if the industrial situation is allowed to be exploited by power-crazed opportunists.

NEW VICTORIAN D.L.P. PRES1DENT HITS OUT AT UNIVERSITY LOUTS

"University life was likely to be disrupted again mainly because of vice-chancellors who were too weak and intimidated to stand up to a handful of louts, the Victorian President of the D.L.P., Mr. A. Abolins, said yesterday". The Australian, 27th February.

Mr. Abolins also attacked governments for not enforcing laws, which they themselves had legislated; a reference to the National Service Act. We have been on record many times over the past year or two with comments which parallel those of Mr. Abolins. We repeat that loutish behaviour at the universities should under no circumstances be tolerated, that university administrations EXPEL those louts convicted of an offence; that the Federal and State Governments WITHDRAW scholarships and studentships from those students convicted of an offence.

Perhaps most of the offenders are scatter-brained adolescents, but all of them aren't. The subversives are there, well in the background usually, egging the more unstable troublemakers on, and providing a stage for the lime-lighters to prance upon. Poor idiots! After they have had their little dance, and done their work for their manipulators, they will be swept off the stage like the useless pawns that they then will be.

Our universities must show strength and be backed up by governments. With the crumbling around Australia of the so-called "conservative" State Governments, the prospects here for stability aren't what we'd term the brightest.

LIBERAL PARTY PERPLEXED BY ELECTORAL REVERSES

"The Liberal Party has been unable to find definite reasons for the swing against the Liberal groupings in Australian politics over the past two years, the Foreign Minister, Mr. McMahon said last night". The Australian, Match 1st, 1971.

The various reasons for electoral reverses may puzzle Mr. McMahon, but they don't puzzle us one little bit. Causes come literally bursting into our mind. Inflation - the cost-price squeeze in (particularly) the rural industries, Commonwealth-State antagonisms, hesitancy to enforce the National Service Act, failure to take a stronger stand on immigration, and a host of other causes.

Added to which admittedly the Government at Canberra has been in office for nearly twenty-two years and it has been said that now, with the resignation of Mr. McEwen, that there is no member of the Government coalition who has ever been in opposition. It appears to us that this experience will not be long delayed for these members.

Speaking on Commonwealth-State financial relations Mr. McMahon said that the States were given about $2,800 MM of a $7,800 MM Federal budget and that the Commonwealth Government had been "extraordinarily generous" to the States. Taking a closer look at this "extraordinary generosity" of the Commonwealth Government. We find, for example that for every dollar of surplus revenue that the Commonwealth lends to the States, that it receives back TWO DOLLARS FIFTY CENTS, a cool profit of 150%. In 1969 the States paid $95 MILLION to the Commonwealth in interest payments. Again in 1969, the State of Victoria, alone, paid $14.1 MILLION in PAYROLL TAX to the Commonwealth on the payrolls of the organs of government, semi-government, and municipal government. In 1969 a $1 35 wage incease, payable to State employees, and awarded by the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, added $23 MILLION to State budgets. The Commonwealth RECEIVED from the States $40 MILLION in income and payroll tax. Imagine what the Commonwealth will rake in as a result of the 6% national wage rise! Such is the "extraordinary generosity" of Canberra.

Does Mr. McMahon REALLY know what he's saying? The figures quoted were provided by the Hon. R.J. Hamer, Victorian Minister for Local Government, in an address in the Victorian Legislative Council on 7th October 1969. The injustices of the Commonwealth-States financial provisions are causing great tensions within the Liberal Parties, as is now obvious to all.
W.A. and S.A. are now lost to Labor, and N.S.W. is only hanging in the Liberal closet by a thread. This impoverishment of the States, growing worse year by year, is forcing State Governments to cut down on police education, etc. all round. Sir Henry Bolte rightly said that if things go on, as they are, that the States are finished; and it won't take long. This is music to the ears of the Socialists, who want all power for Canberra; the abolition of State Government altogether.

In a sense, the Liberal Party is destroying itself by its failure or refusal, or both, to grasp the realities of the inherently centralising role which Big Finance plays in government, as in private enterprise. This issue of Commonwealth-State relations is going to loom larger and larger in the next handful of years until the fate of the States is decided. We can flatly say here and now, that if the States do not receive back their own taxing powers that Sir Henry Bolte will be right; the States will be finished.

LORD PROVOST OF EDINBURGH ATTACKS SUBVERSION

"The continual assault upon our morality . . lowering of the standards of productions on T.V. … theatrical productions .. . are the conscious plans of an evil force which, if it cannot defeat us militarily is prepared to destroy us morally". The Age, (Melbourne). 2nd March 1971.

The unruliness of youth is not a new phenomenon. It has occurred throughout history; invariably at the time of a decaying civilization - in fact it is one symptom of decay. Our present civilization is disintegrating, and so we have the anticipated symptom of rebellious youth. The Lord Provost of Edinburgh in his Melbourne Moomba Oration quoted words of Plato on the youth of his day. These words just as accurately describe much of the youth of 1971. What is much worse in our day and age is that this unruliness of youth is fostered by subversive forces with a view to rending the fabric of society. If readers will refer to last week's 'Thought for the Week' they will grasp the implication of this 'revolt' of youth.

INTEREST IN MURRAY BY-ELECTION INTENSE

"The enthusiasm is there, Country Party morale is high, Bruce Lloyd himself has been feeling on top of the world, but the Federal Country Party members are more cautious". The Sun. Melbourne, 2nd March.

All Parties have a lot of political mileage to draw out of Murray. It is no secret that the League of Rights is participating strenuously at this minute in the campaigning for the Murray by-election, to inject into the election campaigning an awareness of the objectives for which the League stands. The Country Party, of course, wants to hold the seat a C.P. "fortress" for some twenty odd years. This is something of a test for Mr. Doug Anthony, the new Country Party leader.

In spite of a brave front, there is strong dissatisfaction at the grass roots level of the Country Party, with the call for a withdrawal from the Coalition quite frequently heard. Not surprisingly the Country Party, originally formed to represent the interests of the man on the land, is now telling men on the land to get big or get out, and is doing precious little to alleviate the cost-price squeeze which is throttling the life out of many farmers and graziers.

The Liberal Party wants a win badly to give as "endorsement' of Mr. Gorton's "policies" such as they are. The D.L.P. wants to keep up the momentum of its good showing at the last Senate election and in Murray itself, where it out polled the Labor Party in this Senate election. The D.L.P. preferences could well decide the result of the by-election, as it has not yet been decided whether these will go to the Liberals of the Country Party. The A.L.P. is given little chance of electoral success in Murray. The best which Labor could probably hope for is a swing their way confirming that things are still running in their favour as happened in the State elections of S.A., N.S.W. and W.A. We shall have more to say about Murray in the near future.

LABOR SETTING ITS SAILS FOR A HOME RUN IN 72

"Mr. Michael Young, shearer-turned political dynamo will this week try to convince his 16 colleagues on the A.L.P.'s Federal Executive that the time to start the 1972 Federal election campaign is now". The Herald. Melbourne, 2nd March.

There is no doubt at all that the leaders of the A. L.P. smell victory, and after twenty two years in the political wilderness every ounce of effort they can muster will be thrown into the 1972 campaign for the Federal election. As is dealt with in this issue, the Liberals are on the defensive electorally. The Country Party is in danger of revolt at the grass- roots level, the D.L.P. whilst doing quite well on a percentage of the vote basis, seems no nearer to gaining seats in the House of Representatives, although it is just a possibility that 1972 could see them with one or two. So the field is open for the A.L.P. if they can only present an image of unity, and appear to be in possession of solid alternative policies to those of the Liberals.

The swing is most definitely their way, and Mr. Young aims to keep it coming, The grip of the Left wing on the Victorian Executive seems to have been broken for the time being at least and now the intention is to break the grip of the Right-wing on the N.S.W. Executive. A great unifying factor will be the smell of victory. It is in the air-at last, and Mr. Whitlam's appeal for all men to man the oars and pull together now as never before will make plain good sense.

A most interesting development stemming from an A.L.P. electoral victory in 1972 will be its effect on the fortunes of the D.L.P. What will happen? Will the D.L.P. 'wither on the vine' as predicted by Mr. Arthur Calwell, because so many disillusioned D.L.P. supporters will then return to their old party.